The use of concentrated solar energy for co-producing Zn and synthesis gas from ZnO and natural gas upgrades the calorific value of the initial reactants by 39% and, when compared to the traditional carbothermic reduction of ZnO, has the potential of reducing CO2 emissions by up to 78%. An economic assessment for a 50,000 mt/yr chemical plant, 30 to 51 MW solar input, indicates that the cost of solar thermal production of zinc ranges between 89-133 $/mt (excluding the cost of ZnO feed and credit for pollution abatement) and, thus, might be competitive with conventional fossil fuel based processes at current fuel prices.